MAP Housing Availability and Need
Sub-section 1: Housing Availability and Need Q1 Currently available housing a.What types of properties are there? Look at type, size and tenure (freehold, leasehold, rented). b.Where are they located? For example, are they clustered in the town centre, town edge or hinterland settlements? c.Is there an under- or over-supply of housing of different types? (Worksheets EN1; EN2; EN3 Q4; EC6 Q1; EC6 Q18 also refer to the built environment) Q 2 New housing a.How much new housing is being planned in the area? b.What type is it? c.Where is it? (Worksheets EN1 Q7,14; EN3 Q4; EC6 Q1,8,9; T1 Q3 also refer to development) Q 3 Housing costs: a.What is the cost of buying or renting property? b.Can local people afford to buy houses in the area? c.Where is there a supply of affordable (social) housing at below-market prices? d.Where is there a supply of starter homes? e.Does supply meet local needs based on current statistics? Q 4 Homeless people: a.How many people are homeless in the area? b.How many of these are formally counted as homeless by local authorities compared with those that may be staying with friends and are without a home of their own? c.How does this compare with regional and national averages? Q 5 Housing priorities: a.Does the local council give local people priority in accessing affordable housing? b.What provision is there for people who may want to move back to their local area following time away to train or study? c.Does this differ in settlements in the surrounding countryside and in the town? (Worksheets EC2 Q18; T2 Q11,12; T3 Q16 also refer to local government services) Q 6 Supported housing: a.What supported housing is available to those who need it through special units (for example, for the elderly or disabled)? b.Does this meet current or projected demands? (Worksheets EC7 Q8T2 Q4,5; T3 also refer to disability issues) Q 7 Housing for older people: a.Does the housing provision and cost provide for older people who may want to move to smaller/more manageable homes or from villages to market towns? b.Is this provision sufficient? Q 8 Housing for elderly/disabled people: a.What support is provided for people such as the elderly or disabled in their own homes? b.Does this meet current or projected demand? (Worksheets EC7 Q8T2 Q4,5; T3 also refer to disability issues) Q 9 Availability of homes: a.Are there a high number of homes not available to the local population? b.Is there a high level of second home ownership or holiday lets locally? c.Are these confined to particular parts of the area? (For example, those attractive to tourists or near business centres, etc)? Q 10 Empty houses: a.Is there a high level of vacancy or empty houses? b.Where are these located? c.Are there opportunities to make redundant housing and additional homes available to local people? d.What opportunities are there to bring housing into the town centre (for example, flats over shops) back into use? (compare number of vacant houses with total number of premises) (Worksheets EN1; EN2; EN3 Q4; EC6 Q1; EC6 Q18 also refer to the built environment. Worksheets EN1 Q7,14; EN3 Q4; EC6 Q1,8,9; T1 Q3 also refer to development)